Hey folks, Board Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about what to eat (and what to avoid) when you’re feeling anxious. Are you struggling with stress, anxiety or overwhelmed? We are here with advice and support! Do you have a question for our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or more in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook Group.
Max asked:
“I have really bad anxiety. Are there any foods that can help? Any other ideas that don’t involve popping pills? I’m trying to take a natural approach, but all advice and people selling “solutions” stress me out more. Thank you!”
Sorry to hear you’re struggling, Max! You’re not the only one dealing with anxiety or feeling overwhelmed by all the information, advice and “solutions” available.
Good for you to explore holistic options and recognize that food can be helpful (or harmful) when it comes to mental health. It makes perfect sense, after all! The food we eat is literally how we are made, and there is no separation between body and mind. Traditional healing modalities have known this for thousands of years, and modern research in areas such as epigenetics and neuroplasticity offers an abundance of evidence!
If you have a serious mental health problem, you should see a qualified medical professional or therapist if available to you. Today, more and more healthcare professionals are practicing functional medicine and taking a holistic approach.
In the meantime, there are definitely things you can do on your own. Whether or not you’re looking for extra support, dietary and lifestyle habits play a central role in how we feel about our bodies and minds.
Like a Primal Health Coach, I work with many clients who struggle with feelings of anxiety, stress and overwhelm. Nowadays, the person who does not meet one is the exception!
Let’s start with the foods that contribute to anxiety…then look at the foods that help.
Foods That Make Anxiety Worse
You probably already have a good idea of which foods tend to make you more anxious, but here are six common culprits:
- Sugar
- Cereals
- Fast, highly processed food
- Foods containing highly refined, inflammatory products vegetable seeds and oils
- Coffee and other forms of caffeine
- Alcohol
If you’re a regular at Mark’s Daily Apple, the top four are probably not surprising! When we consume foods that disrupt our body’s natural signaling system and contribute to chronic inflammation, it puts stress on our entire mind-body ecology.
Even for people who aren’t aware of it, eating foods that aren’t healthy or supportive feels “off” on some level and contributes to subconscious discomfort. The body always knows!
Coffee and alcohol deserve a special mention here, as neither is considered prohibited within Primal’s settings. Indeed, I have many clients who eat Primal 100% of the time, but consume too much coffee and/or alcohol and feel the impact.
Most people know about the energizing effects of coffee, that’s one of the reasons they drink it! Along with a burst of energy, it causes a spike in stress hormones and can interfere with the ability to modulate cortisol levels. Drinking it in the afternoon also interferes with quality sleep later (even if the person drinking it thinks they sleep well). Lack of quality sleep contributes to worsening hormonal disruptions, systemic inflammation and chronic stress. has a direct impact on emotions and mood; and often leads to drinking more caffeine, which strains the body and mind and fuels an unnecessary cycle.
That doesn’t mean you have to cutting out coffee or caffeine entirely, but reducing your intake and not drinking it immediately upon waking or too late in the day is especially important during times of stress or anxiety. Even switching to a low-caffeine green tea can help.
On the other side of the spectrum, many people use alcohol to “get the upper hand”. The problem is that it works for the first 30 minutes, that’s it! The body is the ultimate compensator and will balance out the artificially induced spike in feel-good hormones by releasing more stress hormones. Have you ever woken up with anxiety and restlessness around 3am after drinking alcohol for dinner? That’s probably why!
Again, this doesn’t mean you have to give up alcohol completely. Just be aware that alcohol is very likely to make anxiety worse. If you choose to participate, keep it to a minimum and don’t drink too close to bedtime. Similar to coffee, alcohol also has an extremely detrimental impact on sleep, even when consumed in small or moderate amounts.
Unfortunately, many people tend to consume MORE of the above during times of stress and anxiety rather than less. It’s because they hold the promise of momentary relief, similar to “comfort eating”. The problem is that the relief is fleeting and makes us feel even worse!
This then feeds into a vicious loop, where we are stressed and anxious…seek temporary comfort…only to feel even worse…and seek more comfort in things that will exacerbate the problem. It’s a bad cycle that repeats itself, and getting out of it can seem very difficult, if not impossible.
The good news is that food also has the potential to do the opposite! In other words, it can bring real and lasting relief and can help us get out of this painful cycle. We just need to know what to avoid and what to choose instead. We’ll take a look.
Foods That Help With Anxiety
For many people, following a Primal Diet will already go a long way in easing anxiety and reducing stress. When we nourish our bodies with real, whole foods, they can thrive instead of just survive.
If you need a primal diet refresher, start here. There are plenty of healthy options out there, and it’s not really necessary to choose foods that make us feel worse. Beyond that, here’s an “anti-anxiety” starting point:
- Eat real, whole foods that are simply cooked.
- Use fresh ingredients (bonus if they’re local or regional!).
- Sip bone broth or herbal tea (or even green tea or matcha instead of coffee).
- Pay attention to your thirst and Stay hydrated.
- experiment with non-alcoholic cocktails with healthy and primary ingredients.
- Adopt calming eating habits, such as taking five deep breaths or walking before reaching comfort foods, taking a moment of calm and gratitude before meals, going slow, savoring every bite, and not overeating. Which brings us to…
Anxiety and lifestyle
Remember that primordial nourishment is only one aspect of 10 primordial basic laws. When I work with coaching clients, I don’t just consider what they eat, but how they eat and how they spend the rest of their lives!
Eating quickly, eating on the go, overeating and eating while watching, reading or discussing something stressful is NEVER helpful when it comes to reducing anxiety. As best you can, be sure to eat slowly and mindfully. Also, be sure to eat while sitting down and take a break from stressful topics. They’ll be waiting for you when you’re done, and you’ll be better equipped to deal with them!
Other Primal lifestyle “hacks” include:
These practices have a huge impact on our body, mind and emotions. If you mostly eat, limit or avoid caffeine and alcohol, and still suffer from anxiety, look there.
Anti-Anxiety Game Plan
Since you’re here at Mark’s Daily Apple, none of the above is likely new! Sometimes knowing what will help can actually contribute to anxiety due to “cognitive dissonance.”
That’s when a part of you knows what you want and need to do…but you’re doing something different. The result is subconscious or conscious tension and stress, as if you are carrying the weight of knowledge and the weight of your choices, so that you can never fully relax.
Even acknowledging that already changes things. We can’t regain consciousness, and our body and mind really want to go to what feels best.
Rather than shaming or blaming yourself, remember that a part of you is trying to comfort you. Thank that part of yourself, while gently letting it know that its “suggestions” aren’t helping. Then ask:
- How long will the relief from unnecessary food last?
- How am I going to feel in an hour? Trying to fall asleep tonight? Tomorrow morning?
- What could I do with 10% less food and meals?
- What could I do with 10% more as an alternative that will make it easier?
Ask these questions in a spirit of honesty and compassion. There is no judgement, just curiosity, investigation and awareness. Give yourself space to really check in on how you feel, what will make it worse, and what will make it better.
Our body is on our side, and doing support exchanges (even 10% of the time) works wonders. Plus, when you feel good about something, you naturally want more! Start with 10% and watch how it increases.
For many people, reducing stress and anxiety can be as simple as switching to a Primal diet, slowing down and getting enough sleep, getting some sunshine and moving.
That said, simple does not mean easy! Having someone to lean on can reduce the stress of figuring it all out yourself and carrying out your intentions. For skillful and compassionate support, consider working with a primalhealthcoach.com Primary Health Coach! Visit monprimalcoach.com to start.
Are you struggling with anxiety, stress or overwhelm? Do certain foods or habits help or hurt? Let us know and ask me any other questions in the comments!
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